HARDWOOD RECORD 



A FI.KKT OF YELLOW rOl'LAR LOGS IN LOG HARBOR AT COAL GROVE. 



some returns for its enterprise. At the present writing nearly every 

 river mill except that of this company is shut down for want of logs. 



Eeports fi-om the upper Cumberland river region state that the tides 

 this year have been discouraging, and that so far there has not 

 been enough water in the stream to float any timber. Mills generally 

 are lying idle. It is estimated that in the Upper Cumberland region 

 the oak and poplar cut in that district will not average forty per 

 cent, of the usual one. 



The condition in the lower Cumberland river is not much better, 

 as nearly every mill is shut doivn for want of logs. Even if a June 

 tide prevails the supply of logs will not be more than two-thirds of 

 normal. 



In the Kentucky river country the report is that the time of year 

 to expect tides is practically over. It is just possible that there will 

 be enough water in the stream later on to bring down the supply of 

 logs, but it is very improbable. Up to date not fifteen per cent, of 

 the stock ordinarily obtained has been received and the total average 

 of the mills on that river will not be more than twenty-five per cent, 

 of normal. 



On the tributaries of the Ohio river the condition of log 'tides has 

 been the worst ever experienced. Nearly every mill on the Ohio, 

 except that of the Yellow Poplar Lumber Company, depending on 

 logs from the Big Sandy and Guyandotte, is shut down. 



Everyone who has kept up with the weather reports of the country 

 knows that there has been no water south of the Ohio river of any 

 volume for the last nine months. This region covers the tributaries 

 of the Ohio, the Kentucky, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, the 

 main logging streams. There was a small run-out of logs in January, 

 when no one was ready to send their logs down to their mills and 

 no one dared to send them fearing ice, consequently the mills are all 

 closed for want of logs. 



There are now. few poplar logs in sight except those of the Yellow 

 Poplar Lumber Company, and there will not be unless there is a long 

 and continuous rain, and it generally takes about a week of 

 wet weather to make a good log tide. The ground after the long 

 drought which has prevailed, especially during the months of March 

 and April, when the rainfall was less than an inch, is dry and cracked 



and will absorb one or two pretty heavy rains before the streams 

 are affected by the water. Even if a heavy June tide in the streams 

 should prevail, it is not going to deliver any vast quantity of poplar 

 timber, as not over forty per cent, of the normal stock was put in 

 this year. This, of course, was owing to the inability of loggers to 

 secure poplar stumpage. The best and most valuable stands are 

 pretty well cut off, and the companies who have been able to 'put in 

 railroads and trams back up to their timber lands are not numerous. 

 As a rule this source of supply only takes care of railroad mills. 

 This cut will not be over thirty per cent, of what has been produced 

 in former years. 



There is a general inclination on the part of poplar owners to 

 hold back the cutting of their stumpage, as the increase in value of 

 the timber as it stands in most cases is fully as much as^could be 

 made out of actual lumber operations. Stumpage values are show- 

 ing heavy advances, and in poplar are going up by leaps ami bounds, 

 as indicated by recent sales. 



Every poplar manufacturer's mail brings many inquiries for high- 

 grade stock, and very few buyers are able to secure even a modicum 

 of their requirements. It certainly has the call of all the American 

 woods, and the Yellow Poplar Lumber Company is to be congratu- 

 lated on the fact that it is probably the one concern in the United 

 States that will be able to deliver any large amount of poplar lumber 

 during the present active season of demand. 



As before noted the Yellow Poplar Lumber Company will produce 

 iluring the season forty million feet of lumber from its high-class 

 virgin yellow poplar timber that is now either at the Coal Grove 

 harbor or in reach of its mills. Of course, this company has an 

 opportunity to advance prices on this stock to a marked degree, but 

 this is not the policy of this corporation. It invariably "takes 

 care" of its customers in the best way possible, and at prices reason- 

 iibly commensurate with the value of the particularly high grade 

 stock it produces. 



The continuation of this story of yellow poplar will involve the 

 splendid manufacturing and remanufacturing plant of this company 

 lit Coal Grove, and show something of the admirable system it pur- 

 sues in manufacturing and handling its output. 



